Reports That Never Were
by Xbreaker-X
Summary: Xion finds Roxas's reports, prompting a few… rather interesting discoveries. Conclusions aren't exactly reached, but what do you expect when you're (mis)guided by a pyro, an idiot, a trickster, and more? Though that's really just the beginning, I suppose… Set in an undetermined time in 358/2 Days.
1. Chapter 1

Reports That Never Were

_"What do you call the time in between day and night?"_

There's a time when the heavens become a viscous liquid. Dipping past the horizon, the Sun takes the form of a bright orb, staining the sky with reds and oranges and yellows, while wispy clouds melt like marshmallows in hot caramel.

_"What do you mean?"_

The air is warm, and gentle breezes flow over the ground, rising with their currents. Quietly, the soft zephyrs whistle through the small cracks in buildings of various heights, ranging from townhouses that lie low to the ground to the great clock tower, which stands at the center of the town.

_"The time when the Sun sets."_

Despite having multiple residential areas, the town seems to have few inhabitants. Streets are left empty, and doors left locked. Only the distant sounds of children can be heard, but only numerous enough to be counted by one hand.

_"You mean like now?"_

The vast expanses of emptiness gather dust, and corners are weathered ever so slowly by the wind. In lieu of the flat expanses, from atop the clock tower, the area appears far smaller. Such heights grant an idyllic image to its occupants. Everything so far away. Problems, responsibilities, feelings, all lost from a solace that seemed completely segregated from a completely foreign world below.

_"I think Axel called it Twilight. He said that's what this town's named after."_

_"Twilight… Town." _

_Silence._

_"I think I'll head back now."_

_"Yeah… me too."_

* * *

With a low humming noise, a dark vortex materialized inside The Castle That Never Was. Languid figures emerged from the swirling mist; a girl who's ebony hair fell just above her shoulders, followed by a male with a slightly greater stature. Xion curled her locks around her finger: an inveterate tendency that felt natural, despite her failing to recall when she had first started. Roxas increased his pace slightly to walk beside her.

"I wonder where Axel was today." Roxas spoke casually, glancing over at his partner. "I guess we finished a little _too_ quickly."

"Maybe he's on another secret assignment. You know he gets a lot of those from…" She paused and stopped walking.

"...Yeah, I understand." The male Nobody diverted his gaze to the ground, understanding Xion's discomfort with the Seventh, who always seemed especially querulous when the girl was concerned. She never had the easiest time with her superior, and tended to stay quiet when the topic leaned towards the blue-haired man.

"Say Roxas, do you ever wonder what your Somebody was like?" Xion said -softer now-, as she began walking again.

"All the time. All the other members remember, right?" She nodded.

"It must be nice, knowing what life was like." Roxas looked into her eyes, they were unfocused. "It must be easier…" The blond agreed, as he had on multiple occasions gotten various troubles because of what Axel described as 'social-awkwardness' and 'zombie-like behavior', especially in the earlier days. Of course, whether Xion had gotten past the 'earlier days' stage herself was debatable.

_You still kinda act like a zombie! _The Pyro had joked, smacking Roxas on the shoulder, who clumsily jerked forward from the impact.

_Maybe if I remembered…_ Roxas had thought, the same expression that Xion wore now had been displayed on his own features before as well, on multiple occasions.

"Don't worry about it too much! Since we don't have memories of our life before, we can just make our memories now, together! Who needs those other memories anyway?" Roxas shot her a trademark grin, but he knew there was only so much he could say. There was a reason they were the ones called Nobodies. Fortunately, Xion seemed satisfied by this.

"Thanks Roxas." A small smile graced her lips as she looked up at him. Roxas turned his attention forward again, relieved.

As they progressed down the long, moonlit corridor they began to talk more cheerfully. The Thirteenth talked more animatedly now, and Xion laughed at his somewhat childish display of enthusiasm about relatively unimportant topics. The world's perpetual night allowed time to be easily forgotten, and the duo walked in a circle around the castle, enjoying the other's company. Suddenly, Roxas' ears twitched, and he let out a small gasp.

"I promised Demyx I'd listen to his Sitar today! He said something about leveling up as a musician, whatever that's supposed to mean... I'd better not leave him waiting." He paused, reluctant to end his conversation so abruptly. "Actually, I'm sure it's okay if I'm a little bit late. The lazy fool's probably just sleeping again." His grin increased ever so slightly.

"You're already 'a little late' Roxas! You'd better hurry, it's not good to keep people waiting," She responded, playfully.

"Alright, alright! I'll go now! I guess I'll see you tomorrow then!" Xion shouted a goodbye, but he had already run off towards the room labelled 'IX'. It was then that Xion noticed something at her feet. She sighed, and went to pick up the object. _You have to be more careful, Roxas…_

Upon inspection, the item in question was a black notebook. It was bound by some sort of leathery material, and black elastic held it shut with little force. The covers were otherwise bare. Intrigued, she opened the book to the first page. It was a title page, relatively undecorated, except for a small group of neat, cursive writing in the middle of the lined A5 sheet.

"The Roxas Reports," She read aloud. _Interesting…_

"I should return this." Xion walked further down the corridor, giving the 'IX' a cursory glance as she passed the door. Nonchalantly, she opened the door to her own room, labelled 'XIV', notebook under her arm. _Eventually…_ She smiled mischievously and locked the door behind her. The click seemed to echo through the hallway, and there was quiet.

* * *

**Short chapter... I actually didn't show everything that would probably be ideal in a pilot chapter, considering that you only got to see two characters, so apologies for that. At the very least, you can probably already tell if you like writing style, etc. A-anyway...**

**Oh, also, I haven't played Kingdom Hearts for a very long time, so if I break canon, it's to be expected. This is a fanfiction anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter. (For example, I quote some lines that haven't been said in the set time. I know I already made one of those 'mistakes'). ****Oh well...**

**I haven't read a Rokushi fic for a while, so I figured I'd try beginning one. Any comments on the... fic are welcome, so go ahead and shoot me a review or a PM. Thank you for your time, see you next chapter.**

_**Edit: No one told me literally the first word was a mistake! This is what I get for editing at 2 am... and I only realize after the penultimate chapter... ;(**_


	2. Chapter 2

Xion awoke still drowsy from the night before. She hadn't gotten much sleep and honestly, she hadn't planned on sleeping at all. It was sleep that had taken her away from the _thoroughly engaging_ reports of a certain blond-haired Nobody. Cursing the lateness of the hour she had stumbled upon his notes, she decided that she would have to ask Axel about some things later…

On the other hand, aforementioned Nobody had probably noticed the absence of his item by now, and Xion assumed he'd be somewhat worried of its disappearance. Xemnas had ordered him to write the reports, and she supposed it was only logical _not losing_ them was part of the whole assignment. Groaning, the girl arose from her bed, yawning and stretching for a moment, and then proceeded to the Grey Area, having already been dressed in her coat from the night before.

Lethargically, she made her way down the hallway, only to find herself colliding with another member of the organization. A spiky blond mop covered her vision.

"Ah! Xion!" A familiar voice said frantically, "Have you seen my reports? I swear I had them yesterday but then, when I sat down to write last night I… I…" Xion blinked, still in a daze from the abrupt impact. "I couldn't find them." The light from Kingdom Hearts in the sky shone through the windows of seemingly archaic design, enough to allow the stunned girl to make out her friends worried expression. She felt a pang of guilt from the emotion in his eyes, but she had regained enough sense to form a reply.

"Actually…" She began, rubbing the sore spot on her head, "Are you referring to this?" Roxas's eyes lit up as she took the notebook from her inventory and waved it in front of him.

"Where did you find it? I've been looking the whole morning!" He smiled widely. "Thanks Xion, you're the best."

"Also..." She started, but it seemed Roxas was paying her no mind, as he began to inspect the state of his notes. She began a little louder, causing him to cease his examination and look at her.

"What is it, Xion?"

"…Could you get off me?" Roxas realized he still hadn't allowed her to recover from their earlier collision. He had virtually pinned her down unconsciously in his _interrogation_, his arms and legs straddling her body in what could be confused with an aggressive advance. Oblivious to the implications that could be brought forward from his actions, he offered an almost cursory apology, and ran off. Pouting, she walked briskly after him. She hadn't wanted to relinquish possession of the book so soon. She hadn't even finished reading them yet!

As she entered the Grey Area, she lowered her head, and advanced towards the center of the room. She felt a hand pat her on the back, and she glanced to her right to see a familiar fiery color. "It looks like I'm paired with you today. We're on an investigation mission in the Beasts castle. Saix says there are reports of what could be more heartless action. Got it memorized?" Xion nodded, and opened up a dark corridor. She was glad that Axel had saved her from having to confront the blue-haired Nobody, but this also opened up the opportunity for some questions to be answered. "Hey, Axel…" She began, her mouth curling into a curious grin.

* * *

Roxas lamented missions in Agrabah with great passion. The heat was overwhelming at times, especially in their mandatory uniform of a thick, black coat, which covered every inch of his already burning skin. Sandy dunes made progress delayed and tiresome. Having Demyx accompanying him was a mix of boon and bane, as his aquatic abilities and cheerful air lightened the strain, even if it was slight, while on the other hand it meant double the work for the younger Nobody.

Grunting as he landed awkwardly atop one of the buildings in the city, Roxas surveyed the area for more Heartless. Satisfied that none were left in any of the visible areas from his high vantage point, he began to proceed forward to the next realm of the area, only to hear the whining voice of Demyx call after him.

"Are we done yet Roxas? It's hot here!" The youth complained, as he showered himself with more water, strumming his sitar with one hand and running his fingers through his now damp hair.

"We'd be done faster if you actually helped…" Roxas mumbled, shooting an accusatory glare his partner's direction.

"Well, I'm just… Making sure all the hearts are collected! You know they're only added to Kingdom Hearts if they're destroyed by the Keyblade." It was an excuse he had heard many times before, including earlier on the very same mission, but he wasn't in any mood to argue.

As the last of the creatures were disposed of -no thanks to a certain musician- Roxas breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He had resulted to drinking potions for hydration when Demyx had disappeared, and as he sat in the shade of a makeshift shelter he had made, he checked the missions status bar, which confirmed that they -or rather, he- had eradicated each and every one of the Heartless in the area; at least for the moment.

In the short period of respite in the otherwise eventful morning, Roxas thoughts were brought to what he would write in his report for this day. _Today… I learnt yet again why Demyx is the least favorable mission partner._ Of course, he wouldn't actually transcribe such slander, for he knew that the Superior of the In-Between did occasionally check his reports, and despite his distaste for his accompanying member's languor, he didn't need to condemn him to any real punishment, and ultimately himself to a crying Demyx, banging on his door, singing songs begging for forgiveness through the whimpering. He shuddered thinking of the endless cacophony. He wasn't going to make that mistake again…

_I guess I should RTC._ Roxas's thoughts then moved on to the much more appealing image of Sea-salt ice-cream; the icing on the cake, as Axel had said. Chuckling inwardly, he thought of the Nobody that had formed his addiction with the sweet, yet salty treat. He searched his pockets for the required three-hundred Munny, and stepped through the Dark Corridor leading to Twilight Town.

* * *

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" The pyro asked, catching his Chakrams lazily as they sliced through the Heartless in front of him.

"Well, I was-" She stopped, realizing she had almost revealed something she shouldn't, "I was… Listening to Demyx singing, and I was wondering about something." She lied. Axel turned to look at her as the last of the beasts vanished in a black cloud of mist. He was unconvinced by such a poorly told lie, but decided it was better to go with it for the time being.

"Only Roxas can stand listening to Demyx singing…" Axel grumbled, inaudibly. He would make sure to mention it later, if it became more relevant. In lieu of pointing out that her deception was, in a word, terrible, he prompted her to continue speaking as he resumed with the mission.

"What is love, Axel?" The older Nobody, although taken aback, thought for a moment before, giving his reply. _A strange question… _He usually disliked answering such questions, but he had a duty as resident know-at-all.

"Have you seen the Beast of this castle?" He asked, eyes still focused forward, surveying the area for not only potential heartless spawning area, but also inhabitants of the world. She hadn't, but Xion recalled Roxas's reports:

_ Xaldin explained the concept of love today. He brought the example of the Beast and the maiden, 'love is a foolish drive to do things for someone who you feel is significant' or something of that likeness, as the beast protects his damsel without care for his own health. I don't really comprehend as of yet, but maybe understanding will come in the form of a heart._

She stifled a giggle, recalling her friend's overly-formal tone in his writing. She wasn't used to the side of him that wasn't jumping up and down from sugar-highs, and grinning at every sarcastic, offhand comment he could make. She had decided both personas were equally as adorable.

"Yeah."

"Well, have you seen how he treats the human girl specially, compared to his servants?"

"Is that love?" She questioned, her pupils growing large and glossy.

"Kind of. Love is when you care about someone else more than anything. It's kind of hard to explain, since we can't feel it without a heart…" Axel trailed off, concentrating to make sure he wasn't missing observing anything in the dimly lit halls. Xion on the other hand was already completely engaged in his explanation.

"Then, don't I love you and Roxas?" The fiery male allowed his alarm to show on his features.

"Well, love is a bit stronger than that." There was a short moment of silence. Axel broke into a mischievous grin, "But hey, maybe you do love Roxas!" He laughed to himself, and slapped his partner on the back. Xion felt her face heat up, but she wasn't sure why; an instinct from her memories as a Somebody that she couldn't recall, she decided.

"So then, what are the symptoms of love?" She asked, confused as to why that had earned another chuckle from her senior.

"Well, people who are in love do things with each other that friends like us don't." Noticing her dissatisfied look, he continued; "For example, they have a lot more physical contact, and contact can cause the _symptoms_ to intensify." Xion began to make notes mentally while he spoke. "They also do this thing called kissing, and another thing-" He paused. "And another thing, they show their affection more openly." He substituted, glad that the weakly-illumined hallway obscured his expression enough to be unreadable. Although omnipresent, the candles across the walls didn't exactly provide optimum lighting, especially at such times of the night. He wasn't exactly prepared to give his female junior _the talk_. He'd already avoided the same situation with Roxas not long ago…

It was the dark-haired girl's turn to provide much desired clemency, as she chose to overlook his obvious omission of something which could potentially be rather important. She wanted her understanding to be as full as possible, or at the very least, better than Roxas's. Tilting her head slightly, she urged him to carry on.

"So what's kissing?" Sighing inwardly, Axel continued.

"It's a little hard to explain. It's when one of the two lovers presses their lips against another part of their partner's body, generally areas closer to the face, and even their significant other's lips." The girl shuddered, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

"Sounds gross. Not to mention unhygienic…"

"Well, Somebodies do strange things for strange reasons."

Xion nodded slowly, taking everything in. Her thoughts were disrupted however, by the sudden appearance of a mob of emblem heartless. They appeared to be canine-like creatures, varying in size and color. Honestly, she found them oddly cute, but she wouldn't let her occasional girlish tendencies to obstruct her work. Thus, casting a quick spell, she began her assault on the mass -Axel already having entered the fray, Chakrams blazing with sudden fervor-.

The beasts were bulky and dealt tough blows, but with the combined efforts of both Nobodies, short work was made of their adversaries. Having fully completed the mission, both summoned Dark Corridors, waving a hand in front of them, and found that they had arrived before their expected companion. It was usually he and Axel that initiated conversations, and thus the two sat in silence for a moment, enjoying their sweet and salty bars and the view that was displayed before them. Hoping to draw away from the previous line of conversation, Axel shuffled through his set of random conversational starters.

"I bet you don't know why the sun sets red." He stated, smugly. It was a perfect start. It was immediately relevant, from the sunset before them. In addition, it allowed him to solidify his position of having superior in knowledge of all things, allowing his personal charisma to reveal itself, yet not be oppressive. He was also particularly partial to the color, and gladly accepted association to such an… _epic_ hue. _Dominant shades for a dominant man._ He smiled in his pride, and at his own narcissism.

"Isn't it because red travels the farthest?" Xion replied nonchalantly, missing the frown which subsequently decorated her clown-like comrade's features. Obviously she wasn't as easily impressed as her male -with want for a better word- counterpart. Catching his ulterior motive, Xion continued; "You know, if you wanted to seem more intelligent-" Axel raised an eyebrow, glancing in her direction. "You could have explained love a little more thoroughly, or does Axel-sensei only _act_ like he knows everything. " She allowed her false cynicism to seep through in her tone, in a somewhat rare lapse in her usual, politely naïve character.

"I don't think I've forgotten anything." He lied, hoping she hadn't picked up on…

"_They do this thing called kissing, and another thing called..?"_ She mimicked, trailing of as he had before, but putting more emphasis on his obvious exclusion.  
"W-well…" He stuttered. _Guess the jig is up. I suppose it'll be a little longer till Roxas arrives… Hopefully. _"Well, somebodies don't manifest from emptiness, like us. Instead…"

* * *

It was an odd transition, moving through Corridors of darkness. The world was suddenly blackened, and a strange texture of thick smog surrounding the body enveloped the traveler, only to be wrest from the matrix at once. It seemed to the traveler as if the world approached _them_, in spite of the true nature of events. Roxas had thought he would never get used to the sensation; such a disturbing phenomenon that the others seemed to brush off far more easily than he could fathom. Regardless, such petty complaints were soon overcome by the thoughts of lazy afternoons, hunger, and -more importantly- ice-cream.

He hoped he hadn't kept the eighth and fourteenth waiting for too long, for he had been a little slow in mission progress, thanks to the tardiness of the Organizations resident musician. His hopes were dashed as he appeared from around the corner of the clock tower. He found his friends already awaiting his arrival, the elder of the two sitting with a respectable pile of ice-cream sticks behind him (although not a single winner was in sight). _Going for a new record perhaps? _The reality of the situation was that Axel ate to distract himself.

He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, contrite, only to notice both held tinges of crimson in their cheeks as they responded to his greeting. _Oh no…_ Had he angered them? Was this day some significant date he, in his absentmindedness, had forgotten? He recalled the number of days that he had been at the organization thus far, he had -as a certain pyro would say- 'got it memorized'. The figure didn't appear significant in the slightest. So what could it be to have both of his close friends so agitated? He searched his mind for possible answers.

Finally, it came to him. Of course! They had eaten too much ice-cream, and were suffering from severe cases of upset stomachs, and most probably afflicted by the dreaded phenomenon known as 'brain-freeze'. He burst into hearty laughter in his relief and newfound mirth, failing to catch a glimpse of the confused expressions of the other two. Eager to move on to a more comfortable topic than she last held, Xion interrupted him first.

"S-so… How was your mission today Roxas?" Immediately his expression turned dark, and the girl wondered whether she had made a mistake in asking such a thing. Had he truly realized what he had narrowly missed hearing? But how? And why laugh..?

"If Demxy had a puppy, I would kill it." The boy spoke, a black aura swirling around him. Axel breathed a sigh of relief, but choked it back out of fear for his life, but the blond-haired Nobody was once again oblivious, too focused on spouting threats and curses on the hypothetical pet belonging to the subject of his ire. The conversation took a lighter tone thereafter, and the group enjoyed each other's company for a while longer, before returning to their respective quarters.

* * *

Xion wandered aimlessly around the hallways of the Castle that Never Was. She enjoyed seeing the different shadows cast by the richly designed windows, illuminated by the luster of the heart-shaped moon. Axel's extension in detail on the ever-bewildering subject of human affection had only left her with more questions, not to mention significantly flustered. Who knew an icon of goodness and unity to the Somebodies -plentiful in their literature, she might add- would meet such an… unsettling conclusion.

Still seeking more answers, Xion wondered what the most appropriate next course of action should be. She decided that confronting her seniors was still an option, despite Axel's poor attempts. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable would be called for. She began running through the other members of the organization in her head.

_Well, Roxas is a definite no. Larxene? Unapproachable. Marluxia…_ She shuddered at the thought of asking the flowery character about the details of the equally _flowery_ subject, immediately crossing him out of her list as well. _Luxord…_ Uncertain, the girl made her way towards the gambler's chamber. She knocked, but received no reply. After a short period of patience, she pressed her ear against the wooden door, and heard the elder man speaking to an indeterminable number of others.

"Ha, HA! Fools! This is what you get when you play with _fate himself_! Hand over the winnings, and I'll expect no substitute elixers from your grubby little hands this time, gentlemen!"

"Not fair-kupo!"

"Monster-kupo!" The familiar clink of munny falling into a jar reached her eardrums.

"Say… How about a double or nothing round-kupo?" Loud laughter caused Xion to wince slightly, and recoil from her position. Deciding it was too risky to enter at this point, she resumed wandering around aimlessly, and continued through her mental list.

_Demyx? Wouldn't know better… _She paused, skipping the eighth and seventh members. _Next comes… Zexion._ A safer choice, and although difficult to engage in conversation with, she wanted to say that he had a pleasant personality, but she had never really talked with the man. Nevertheless, he was one she could probably trust to give an adequate answer.

She found the sixth sitting in one of the couches of the grey area, next to the equally silent Lexaeus. As if he could read her intention, the schemer appeared from behind, startling the girl. She looked back to where he had been to find the space empty. "What is it?" he asked, pallid tone matching his placid countenance.

"I-I was wondering," she stuttered, still recovering from the initial shock, "If you could explain what love is?" The man's dark eyes shifted, but his expression remained unreadable.

"How old are you?" Puzzled at the irrelevant appearance of his inquiry, she raised an eyebrow. Still, if she would answer his questions, maybe then he would answer hers. A trade of information seemed fitting for the intellectually inclined bookworm.

"It hasn't been a year since I was introduced to the organization, I think." He shook his head. Sighing, he rephrased:

"How old do you think you are?" She thought for a moment.

"Probably about sixteen." He nodded, pulled a book from what seemed like out of nowhere, and handed it over to her gently. She thanked him for the book, and studied its cover. It was blank. As she opened to the first page, she was greeted by a multitude of unfamiliar words. Frowning, she rifled through the pages, stopping at random intervals, only to find she couldn't comprehend the text. After a few moments, she found what seemed to be a diagram page. Reading the title, she found that the words were still as foreign to her as the others she had read. _What the hell does Coitus mean?_ The innocent youth glanced over to the images…

Xion snapped the book shut, her cheeks burning a red rivalling the intensity of the twilight she had viewed hours earlier. _I-I don't think… I'm ready for this yet… _With pictures she'd rather not have seen burned fresh into her memory, she ran off, depositing the book deep into one of her drawers, before venturing forth on her quest once again, slightly deterred by her more recent findings.

_Lexaeus isn't called the Silent Hero for nothing… Vexen could've written that for all I know; I've already seen Xaldin's response to Roxas, so that leaves…_ It dawned on her that she had been missing the most obvious answer for the longest time. A slimy topic would be grasped most clearly by an equally slimy individual, and there was no other member more _Licentious _than he…

Xion stopped outside the door with the silver 'II' mounted upon its frame and knocked hesitantly. A few seconds later, the familiar scar-faced senior appeared in the doorway, his eye-patch secure in covering his wounded eye, and his unique, disturbing swagger filled the air, leaving one feeling somewhat _violated_.

"Poppet!" He called, grinning. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" Sarcasm dripped from his words. _I held my final hopes in this?_ She thought, forcing herself not to cringe. She explained for the umpteenth time, as the crafty nihilist's grin grew greater, mirroring the mannerisms of a certain Cheshire Cat. Finally, he spoke, his tone like that of a swindler sweet-talking his next victim; sickeningly casual.

"You know, I always wondered if younger Nobodies still went through puberty, and I guess now I know." He laughed to himself, and continued, gears spinning rapidly in his mind as he set his next prank into action. "Well, the best way to understand these things…" He paused, probably for dramatic affect. "Is experience."

"I thought we don't have hearts though?"

"That's right, we don't. But you can emulate the sensation. At least, maybe you and Kiddo." She wasn't sure if he blinked or winked, as he turned and shut the door behind him, cackling…

* * *

Biting on the end of pens was a habit that Roxas had discovered only recently. It wasn't that such an action had manifested only recently, but in fact that it seemed he had done it so much it had become second nature. Strange, for he couldn't recall knowing what a pen was until a few moments ago...

Ignoring the perplexing tendency, he focused on his current task of making a comparatively uneventful day seem highly productive, through the use of florid diction. He felt confident in his ability to weave words so that they sounded as if they were of professional opinion, and as a result, found himself enjoying the writing process. While he agonized over whether proper grammar called for 'who' or 'whom' in this certain case, it vaguely registered that someone had knocked on the door. Sitting up from his lying position on his bed, he bid them to enter. A familiar figure slowly made her way into his room.

"Xion! What is it?" He said, gesturing for her to sit next to him. She obliged, but remained silent.

"Xion?" She studied his expression, and tried to recall what Axel had said in his initial explanation.

_"They have a lot more physical contact…"_

Still in muteness, she moved over closer, and embraced him. Startled, the boy almost pushed her away.

"What's wrong, Xion?" Pulling back slightly, she looked him in the eye.

_"They also do this thing called kissing…"_

Suddenly, she felt a burning sensation in her chest and -unsure of what to do- she rested her hands lightly on his waist. Where did this feeling come from. Xion decided it didn't really matter at this point. It was such a strange thought, gnawing at the back of her mind that told her to throw herself upon him that moment.

"Are you ill?" The youth asked innocently. "Do you have a fever?" He pressed his forehead against hers, to check for a temperature. He was close, far too close. If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn that he was trying to tempt her. The idea of closing the distance between them was as tantalizing as it was insidious; a dangerous combination. He was about to move away, and the girl figured that she wouldn't find the courage she had mustered up to this point again. So lost in indecision, she didn't hear the footsteps in the corridor stop outside the thirteenth's room…

* * *

**So I kind of changed what I had initially imagined for this series, hence the summary change (I am terrible with summaries)... I guess this is what happens when you don't have a plan, as I only have a rough idea of where it's going to go from here. This could either be a semi-short fic, with the tone very much the same as this chapter, or it could be longer, with some additional insertions of actual, more serious plot, as opposed to the "in-between" sections. I still haven't decided, but am leaning towards the former. Any opinions on that are encouraged, and very welcome.**

**I hope nothing in this was too 'cheesy', because I was uncertain on how to approach many of the situations I cover in this. I especially dislike the beginning and most of the verbal exchanges. I hope everything doesn't sound too forced, or moving too fast, etc.**

**As you can probably tell, I really don't know what to think about this, so if you could leave a short review, giving me feedback, or even just saying what/if you like or dislike, that'd be nice. :) Even comments on plot points is fine. Everything is welcome, pretty much...**

**Thank you for your time. I'll try do weekly updates.**


	3. Chapter 3

_Report 71_

_The mission took place in Agrabah, and among the sandy dunes of the land, the Heartless found shelter and a terrain advantage. Our best attempts at flanking the enemy proved futile, and thus we engaged in ranged combat, seeking higher ground as the battles progressed. No new heartless were sited. Likewise, no anomalies in behavior occurred to me, and the mission proved to be common fare. A good number of hearts were harvested this day, and the mission bar was filled to completion with ease, albeit being a time consuming expedition. The temperature was as is standard for the arid world. I believe it safe to assume there is no aberration in this area, at least for the time being. I have yet to venture forth into the cave which is in the likeness of the jaws of a tiger again, but I believe the situation to be much the same in such a place, which is to say, lacking singularity._

_Following the mission, there is nothing to report, as always. No anomaly presented itself on this day. Truly, nothing happened. No matter what you may hear from the mouths of others, on this day, nothing occurred. Nothing. No doubt, I speak the truth._

_And with that I conclude, though as a final note, I should mention nothing out of the ordinary took place today. That is all._

* * *

Demyx wasn't one for surprises. Being a fairly laid back Nobody, he preferred his daily routine simple and undisturbed. He always tried to keep a low profile, especially with superiors such as his. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly easy to avoid the austere gaze of Saix when he shirked and passed on his responsibilities to the other members of the organization. Of course, through the years he had learnt who he could and couldn't bestow his duties upon. However, the newer members of the organization were still unassessed, in terms of whether they would raise a fuss over his malingering and the like. Roxas especially was an undecided case, as mostly he would bear with it, but on rare occasions, his leniency would reach a limit. He shuddered, thinking back to the first time he had been punished by Xemnas. A cruel subjugation under the relentless Moogles. He had liked the creatures, with their bouncy antenna-pompom, and their petit limbs. They were docile, maybe cute, even; he had thought that was the case. He wouldn't make the same mistake again; they were slave-drivers, and he'd never forget it…

_In the memories of Demyx…_

_The room was dimly lit, the sole source of light obscured by a small figure, floating slightly above the ground. The brown haired Nobody lifted his gaze from his spot on the floor. His arms were bound behind him, and his legs ached too much to stand. His throat was parched, and his lips, cracked. Through the haze that covered his vision, he could see the cruel silhouette of his temporary superior. "The new potions arrived-kupo…" a high voice rang through his eardrums, and he shuddered at its sugary-tone. "We need someone to lift it-kupo…" Demyx gulped. He tried to get up, but a soft paw pushed him back down. "You'll help us, right-kupo..?" Two yellow eyes stared at him through the blackness, and more flooded in behind them. Tears filled his eyes, and he felt himself being pulled up roughly, his left leg buckled, but he was raised for a second time, and led out to his fate of unloading produce for his Moogle masters…_

_He shot awake, and again he found himself in the dark room. It was all the same; the familiar throbbing of his limbs, the tied arms, the open door, the silhouette, everything. It was like a dream; as if he was living it over and over again, with the chirping sound of the moogles ringing loudly in his head, similar in manner to crickets crying… At least, as he remembered it._

They were the essence of the devil. Just, extremely _fluffy_ incarnates…

It was with this fear in his heart that the musician approached the thirteenth's dwelling, with the purpose of apologizing for his indolent behavior. He stopped before the door, preparing himself. What should he say? He never apologized to anyone, especially not a pubescent boy that could potentially sentence him to hours of servile fearfulness under beings worse than any Caesar. He bit his thumb in thought, as he pondered what expression he should wear. He could hear Roxas talking inside his room, but there were no replies, so the youth assumed that his junior talked to himself.

"I guess that isn't exactly strange, I talk to myself all the time…" he said, contorting his face into different positions he hoped appeared regretful and apologetic. Roxas had been silent for the moment, and Demyx wondered what the sudden lapse in self-conversing was due to. The male thought for a moment, and came to what seemed like the logical conclusion. True to his oblivious nature, he was ignorant of his tendency to make highly inaccurate inferences. Thus, he figured the boy had bit his tongue, and suffered prolonged silence because of it.

_Perfect! I can be his hero in this time of need! _The ninth member grinned to himself, an image of himself as a knight on horseback filled his mind. _Fear not Roxas, I shall gain your favor with this righteous deed. _With vigor, he thrust the door to Roxas's room wide open, only to find that the blond was not in fact in pain from self-injury. Neither was he talking to himself. In fact, he wasn't even alone, but instead quite the opposite. _I really should learn to knock. _Thought Demyx, as his mind began to image the torture that was to come. He'd really done it now…

* * *

A burning sensation left his soul saturated. It felt like excitement, but a little bit more… enervating. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but Roxas was a bit too distracted to think about such confusing things. He was startled at first, but Xion's hands behind his head had stopped him from jerking away, and after only a moment, he felt instincts that he never had known urging him to answer her actions; a sort of payback, perhaps. Her lips were sweet, but salty too -though, he supposed this felt quite a bit better than Sea-Salt ice-cream ever did-. He unconsciously licked his lips, imagining his favorite treat, and his tongue passed over her lips as well. Xion flinched slightly, but couldn't bear to break contact, at least, before Roxas did. On cue, the boy quickly pulled away for a split-second to take a hasty breath, before rapidly pressing their mouths together again. He adjusted himself slightly, so that he could lean towards her more comfortably.

Abruptly the door flew open, and the pair quickly jerked away from each other, each turning shades of red never before reached by human complexion. Roxas averted his gaze as soon as possible, and squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could fade into darkness like the Cloaked Schemer. Immediately, he began fantasizing, deciding whether it was worse to have Xemnas, Xigbar of Saix standing at the doorway. He decided it didn't really matter who it was, because he was pretty sure that the whole organization would know within the next hour, unless it was Axel.

_Please be Axel…_

After all, there was no organization member that owed him anything. He was younger than the rest of them, and not to mention the thirteenth member; only ahead of the fourteenth, who sat beside him with the same thoughts running through her head. _Please, whatever deity resides in the heavens, spare me._ He wasn't religious, but you're only atheist until the plane starts falling, right?

Apprehensively, he opened his eyes to find himself facing a dumbfounded Demyx. _If only I'd killed him after the mission, like I'd wanted… _He sighed, accepting his fate, and looked up with the most serious gaze he could muster.

The musician blanched, frozen in the spot like one of his water sculptures. Knowing the dire state of affairs, there was only one thing he could think to do. Prostrating himself, the ninth missed the surprised expression that struck the boy before him as he drew forth the most profound persona he could feign. "Please have mercy, Roxas-dono." Too stunned to reply, the blond stared dumbly at the youth before him.

_Why is he silent? Is he scorning my attempts at begging for forgiveness? Is his rage building every second I wait? Should I run for it? For the love of Poseidon, please say something…_

Deciding it was best to continue, the older Nobody began again; "I was unaware of your situation. Please accepted my humble expiation for interrupting your… _bonding_ with-"

"W-what? No I- Well… I… What?" Both males looked at each other, fear gripping their hearts. True to their innate characters, both were oblivious to the clear misunderstanding taking place before them.

"Please! Don't forsake me! I beg of you!"

"What are you-"

"Roxas-dono!"

"What-"

"Onegai-"

"Stop!" Both were silent, and Xion huffed. She placed her hands on her hips sternly and repeated herself more gently.

"Please stop... I'm not… entirely sure what you two are talking about, but I think if we forget about this, then it'll be better for everyone…" She sighed. This was already a grand mess they were in, and all the shouting wasn't exactly helping them resolving anything. The two males looked at each other and nodded vigorously. Demyx wasn't sure what higher power had just saved him from his fate, but he sure wasn't staying to find out. Roxas made a mental note to make sure Xemnas learnt nothing of what had taken place, and he was fairly sure his reports were more trusted by their superior than Demyx's words. He would have to be subtle though, as to not make the precaution too conspicuous or suspicious. _No problem, _he thought confidently. _Subtlety is my middle name…_

* * *

The thirteenth and fourteenth found themselves alone in the room once again. Awkwardly, they looked around the room in silence, accidentally catching each other's gaze, and with alacrity they turned away. Xion broke the silence.

"So..." Another awkward silence fell, causing the two to recall what they had been doing only moments ago, which in turn caused the crimson to return to their features.

"I-" They spoke in unison, and both stopped to let the other continue.

"I'm sorry." The girl said, and the blond shook his head. If he had a heart, he could would have sworn that it would be beating audibly.

_Doki- Doki- Doki-_

"I didn't… dislike that." He attempted to hide the embarrassment in his words, but his best effort were in vain.

"Me neither…" She trailed off, deciding it was better to put off asking whether he would do it again for another day. Shifting uncomfortably, Roxas looked back at his female companion.

"What does this mean?"

"I'm not sure." The thirteenth though for a moment.

"Do you think we should ask Axel?"

"Hell no." The answer was almost immediate, but to be honest, Xion was considering doing it herself. She wouldn't tell him that just yet though. The black-haired Nobody took this as her cue to leave.

Unconsciously, she turned left as she walked out, unintentionally moving away from her room. She was thinking too deeply to notice however, and found herself bumping into something as she walked, breaking her from her trance.

"Well if it isn't Poppet. What a coincidence." Xigbar lied, donning his strangely debilitating grin. Xion gulped. The Freeshooter was the last person she wanted to see then, and she assumed he knew that too. "So, how'd it go?" Immediately, her cheeks flushed again, and she wondered what was prompting the strange reaction over and over.

"W-what do you mean?" The man chuckled and continued.

"Oh Poppet, you can't fool me. How far did you take it? Judging from your face, I'd say you at least reached first base."

"First base?" She repeated, confused.

"Now, now, don't feign innocence." Realizing his junior really had no idea what he was talking about, the eye-patched male continued. "You really don't know what I'm talking about? To be honest, I'm a little disappointed. Most teenage girls know this stuff before they enter highschool… I suppose I'll just have to _educate _you then." Xion was suddenly very afraid, and she took a step back in apprehension, yet she listened nonetheless.

The hall went dark and -after a moment- a single light returned. Xion found herself facing a blackboard with Xigbar standing at its side. An old, white lab coat over his organization uniform. He held a monocle up to his exposed eye with one hand, and a piece of white chalk in the other. Reaching up to the top of the surface, he wrote the words 'Sex Ed' and 'Mr Xigs' in all capitals. Then, he drew a large baseball pitch in the center of the board, and subsequently drew a line from the first base.

"These are the four bases; checkpoints for every male and female alike that goes to take a swing." He chuckled at his own analogy. "Every hedonist alive strives to hit a home run." Xion was about to ask what a Hedonist was, when he asked his next question.

"Now students, does everyone know what kissing is?" He asked, a disturbing sense of pleasure evident dripping from the unusual tenor of his scruffy voice. Xion, deciding it was safest to go along with him, nodded her head apprehensively. Satisfied, Xigbar continued.

"Well, first base, also known as making out, is a little bit more… exciting." The fourteenth frowned at his choice of words, but remained silent. Xigbar pulled out an oversized dictionary from his pocket. _Where does he get all this..?_ He dropped the chalk on the side of the board, raised his voice, and changed his tone to one more haughty and mockingly profound; the tone of an underpaid middle-aged employee reduced to teaching teenagers about intimate human relations, who believed they deserved more from their Bachelor's Degree. He rifled through the pages from the back and stopped near the beginning. Clearing his throat he read; "French kissing, or deep kissing, is the act of kissing a partner's lips during amorous activity." Picking up the chalk, he scribbled the words he had dictated messily near the line he had drawn. Next, he drew a line from the second base.

"Second base…" He paused, and retrieved a stool from the space behind him, and kicked it towards her. "Take a seat." Acquiescingly, she accepted.

* * *

It lasted painful hours, as Xigbar made sure to adumbrate in his explanations, forcing his unwilling pupil to ask questions. In contrast, he made sure his elaborations left nothing to the imagination. As he concluded his speech on the fourth and final base, an exhausted, anxious, and red-faced Xion wondered whether his teachings had finally reached their conclusion.

"A _spurious _conjecture, young one. But no, now it's time for the _fun stuff_, so sit tight." The poor girl groaned, true to the identity of a high school student Xigbar had thrust upon her, who had just learnt of extended classes. "Where to start…" A devilish flare burned brightly in his eyes.

* * *

Roxas really did enjoy writing. There was a certain pleasure gained from sitting down and choosing from a wide variety of options, in order to bring together coherent, cogent reports. He supposed it was due to the lack of other types of intellectual stimulation available to the common Organization member, with the obvious exception of the chilly academic. He thought himself appropriately sagacious -proficient in the art of the pen- as he pondered whether or not the seventh reminder of normalcy to his superior was necessary. _Better safe than sorry…_

Reading over his work again, he felt a warming sense of achievement. He had given an average report, while delicately suggesting that words from a certain musician were highly dubious. _Damn I'm good._ Although being a shorter report than usual, its main purpose was to assist him and the fourteenth in remaining inconspicuous, and he believed it to be a success. Smiling foolishly to himself, the boy realized his desire for word weaving was not yet fully sated. But what else was there to write about? Allowing his mind to wander had been a mistake, as he found himself picturing a certain black-haired girl covered only by a particularly diaphanous material. Forcefully removing himself from his own thoughts, the adolescent youth decided that maybe, although its utmost secrecy was definitely necessary, the events of the evening needed to be recorded in some form. The idea slowly developed in his mind, mental gears spinning once again. _Maybe, I'll make a new set of reports… Yes… Just for myself. _Satisfied that he had reached an acceptable solution to his boredom, Roxas set pen to paper. _I'll have to come up with a name..._ He decided it was best not to concern himself with relatively unimportant details at present. Rapidly, the boy allowed himself to write freely on the page -with his usual, intellectual manner, of course-.

_It's a strange feeling, pressing your lips against someone else's…_

* * *

**Firstly, I should probably explain some things. I apologize to those who are a little confused by the small amounts of Japanese, etc. I use in this chapter. Actually I have a lot I want to apologize for, so I'll do that later. Do people mind? Feel free to complain.**

**-dono suffix is very formal, moreso than -san but less than -sama. Its more of a title like milord, milady, etc.**

**-doki is the sound of the heart beating, in case you didn't know.**

**Now for the apologies. Sorry for:  
-Overusing the Xion-being-educated-about-things situation.  
-The short chapter. I don't like making promises, in fear of not being able to keep them, but I'll try make an extra long chapter next week to make up for it.  
-Using so many line breaks...  
-Only being able to hold a scene for about 650 words...  
-Not being able to edit the chapter, it's completely raw... I was really busy ;(**

**Anyway, thank you to everyone that followed, and the few brave souls that reviewed, because every time I felt like I hated this more and more, wondering whether I should discontinue, someone says something nice, or shows some support. I never knew what people meant when they said the audience kept them going, but I guess now I understand a little. Even if it's just an increase by one, I check the stats almost religiously.**

**I don't want this to carry on too long, so as a final plea, take a short moment to write a little review, even a small message or complaint. It helps greatly. Until next update, and thank you for your time. (I wonder how many references readers noticed in this chapter?)**


	4. Chapter 4

The Castle that Never Was underwent a phenomenon which is best described as endless night. Due to Kingdom Hearts serving as the only light source for the world, no 'daytime' was ever established. The lustrous moon was rivalled by no other star, as it shone in solitude, holding its place in the sky as a constant. Its light was filtered into the castle by regularly spaced windows, all long and thin; the glass pure, holding no blemish. What it revealed was a pale, whitish surface which lacked dust, despite the size of the structure. It smelt of nothing and was smooth in texture. It was cool to the touch, and its rooms produced no echo. Truly, it fulfilled its namesake, for it lacked all conceivable presence, floating atop dark clouds -that is, if a building can be said to hold presence-.

Roxas stirred in his bed. He had fallen asleep disturbed, mostly because he had yet to write a single word for his newly established report system. How could he, when he couldn't even begin to comprehend his own feelings himself? He felt lost, not only for words, but in person as well. He knew one thing though, and that was that he couldn't get a certain black-haired _maiden_ out of his head. Perhaps that was why the words weren't flowing as he would have liked.

The blond raised his head from his position. Sleep had taken him with pen still in hand, as he had been unwilling to allow his writers block to get the better of him. Staring at the blank sheet before him, there wasn't much else he could do but accept that it had. He blinked twice in an attempt to remove the blurriness from his eyes. Unsatisfied, he lifted himself from his lying position, and proceeded to his sink. Noting the disheveled state of his coat in the mirror before him, he collected the cold water in his hands, and splashed it on his face: once, twice, three times. He rubbed the liquid away with a towel that hung nearby in slow circles, still lethargic from his late-night endeavors.

It was safe to say the thirteenth wasn't exactly a morning person.

Irritated, he dragged his feet to the door and -following a deep breath-, the boy began walking towards the Grey Area, thoughts still lingering on his self-assigned project. Determined to surpass his own limits and document his experiences while they were still fresh in his memory, he vowed to return to his work as soon as possible. "I'll be damned if I don't write the next time I sit down..." He declared to himself weakly, a croaky texture tainting his voice, and he suppressed the oncoming urge to cough.

Roxas _really_ wasn't a morning person.

* * *

A solo mission in Wonderland hadn't seemed so bad at first, especially with the aim being simple heart collection. He could manage to defeat a few weak, emblem heartless, even if he was half asleep; or at least, that was what he had thought. In actuality Wonderland, being the most disorienting of all the worlds he had visited, did not receive virtually sleepwalking Nobodies very kindly. _I guess the bright side is that Demyx isn't with me…_

Being only half conscious, Roxas's mind tended to wander more than usual, which was quite the statement, considering Vexen had labelled him as a mild case of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder after the barriers of his initial amnesia had been overcome; perhaps the influence of the Somebody he couldn't remember. In any case, all the growing and shrinking and mazes and disappearing cats weren't helping him focus, -not to mention all the heartless which made him jump off various forms of vegetation to hit them-, and the boy wished he had taken a few more hours of sleep after all. Cursing his own stubbornness, Roxas reached what he believed was the final group of heartless in the area. Fortunately, their spawning point was a relatively restricted, open area. Summoning his Keyblade, the blond unleashed a flurry of attacks for what he hoped would be his final exertions for the day.

With the end in sight, Roxas allowed his mind to wander to what awaited him; a relaxing afternoon with his two closest friends. If he wasn't awake by then, he was sure Axel would 'assist him', or burn him to death trying; it was more a matter of what came first. He recalled Xion's frantic reactions when Axel had first activated his elemental abilities around them, and smiled at the memories. _Xion…_

His cheerfulness faded, and his grin reversed. He had hoped that by the next time he saw her, he would have sorted out his thoughts a little more effectively. As it was, he was still as confused as before, and had no words to show for his efforts which had left him burdened by the lethargy that plagued him even still. Maybe he wouldn't go to the clock tower after all. Of course, he _did_ have some reports to write anyway…

A stray assault caught him flat-footed, and he was brought back to reality with the abrupt wake-up call. Wincing slightly, the thirteenth activated his limit break, surrounding himself in a bright blue light, and releasing a flurry of strikes against his already weakened adversaries. Short work was made of the heartless from there, and the young Nobody summoned a Dark Corridor. He walked towards the vortex, and hesitated, wondering whether he should RTC immediately, or proceed to his usual meeting-place. Recalling his former declaration, he decided that the former was more appropriate, and the youth walked through the portal, which receded into itself.

* * *

Axel hadn't minded being alone with Xion, that is, until recently. Before, it had proved to be more peaceful. The young girl was less talkative than her blond associate, and often made more… intellectual observations. As experience had shown true, she was also slightly more knowing, and one would say, more mature. However lately she hadn't been herself. She had shown what would seemed to be, to a casual onlooker, more emotion. The red-haired Nobody obviously knew that she was incapable of such a thing (or at least, he assumed replicas were much the same as Nobodies), and thus he found the situations provided varying levels of discomfort, especially when she managed to -intentionally or not- put him on the spot.

Xion sat in silence, thinking of how she was going to phrase her next set of questions. Xigbar's suggestion of experiencing things for herself, although answering a few of her inquisitions, brought many new problems into the already confusing topic. Unwilling to allow understanding of human affection to escape her, the girl had decided that she would in fact, despite her response to Roxas the other day, quiz their older acquaintance on her recent experiences. Gathering herself in a drawn-out breath, she casually initiated conversation.

"I wonder what's keeping Roxas." She said, her gaze directed forward, unfocused. The older Nobody shrugged, glad that her words equated only to small talk.

"Maybe he's tired?" Axel suggested absent-mindedly, taking another bite of his favorite dessert. Xion, who had been planning how she would steer the topic to where she wanted it to go mirrored his actions and decided she would have to take a more straight-forward approach.

"Hypothetical situation…" She began, breaking the silence that had settled. The pyro frowned, unsettled by the tone she had switched to. He turned to her, brushing off the slightly unnerving feeling.

"What would you say if I kissed Roxas?"

Axel Chuckled. He didn't really like where this was going, but against his better judgment he provoked her. Supposedly the jester within could resist in making a witty comment whenever the opportunity presented itself. She _had_ spoken in an awfully nonchalant manner, and the knee-jerk reaction was to respond accordingly.

"Why? Are you considering it?" He replied with a smirk, but secretly he was bracing himself.

"Actually, I kind of…" A pause. "I kind of already did."

Axel coughed and spat, he would never be prepared for _that_ answer. He looked over to her quickly to see if she was calling his bluff, but she shyly turned away, confirming his assumptions. Sighing, he resigned.

"Then I assume you have some more things you'd like to ask about?" She nodded, and he sighed again.

"Alright then, go on."

"I don't understand it at all… There were too many new… sensations."

Axel grunted. "Like what?"

"Well, there was an initial gnawing pressure from the back of my mind," she began, thinking while she spoke. While searching for the most appropriate words, her eyes habitually drifted to look skyward. "And then, a really satisfying feeling." She licked her lips unconsciously and Axel flinched, but she was too busy trying to collect herself to notice. "And then, something else…" The girl trailed off, lost in her own thoughts, and the eighth had to make a noise to get her attention back.

"Well… that's all part of love, or maybe _'symptoms'_ is the word you'd use. Although, for someone who doesn't have any memories, it's awfully strange that you can experience this to such a degree…" The older Nobody spoke, drifting off into his own musings and worries.

"Is there something wrong?" Xion asked, worried.

"I'm not sure…" There was a short silence, as both turned their attention. _Though, this could prove troublesome for…_

"Say, Xion," Axel started, his tone unreadable, "Would you do it again?" The girl gave him a strange look and -after a moment of deliberation- averted her gaze, embarrassed. She adjusted her posture to a more formal sitting position, straightening her arms and closing her hands into fists that rested on her lap.

"M-maybe." He laughed openly at her shyness, earning a glare. Honestly, he wasn't sure what to do from there. The eighth decided there were two options from that point; the first was to try and break a possible relationship, in order to prevent conflict with their superiors. He frowned at this, but noted it to be the more pragmatic option, for he also worried that Xion had started to question the ramifications of her recent experiences. Who knows where it could lead, and who could know what she would do if she discovered her true origins? The second course of action would be… _A bit more entertaining…_

He noted her gaze, but said nothing, allowing the awkward stillness to envelope them again. "Well, I can't really help you sort out your own 'feelings'…" He trailed off. _But what I can do..._

Xion shuddered lightly, but she wasn't sure why. Perhaps she was cold? In any case, she hoped Axel hadn't seen her, lest she die a fiery death in his attempts to raise her temperature. Despite his typical level-headedness, he could really go overboard with fire-based magic, although she supposed it came with the title, 'Flurry of Dancing Flames'. It seemed, to her fortune that the man was dwelling on far too many things to notice such a minor reaction.

"I think it's better for you two to talk to each other." He decided, nodding in concluded. "Generally that's what Somebodies do as well. They like to find some time alone to settle their positions." Admittedly, he never had any experience with romance, and from that point on he was simply pulling loosely from various dramas and the like that he had seen when he still spent his time in Radiant Garden; it seemed so long ago now.

It was just a matter of the blind leading the blind.

"But if we both don't understand what… what _it _is, then how are we supposed to resolve anything together?" She had to wait for an answer. It was quite the broken conversation. Exhausted, Axel sighed.

"You know Xion, neither those with nor without hearts can answer that."

* * *

Roxas's frustration grew with each minute that passed. He began to understand a little more why back-breaking, manual labor earned a lot less by the hour than more intellectually taxing jobs. The page before him remained as white as ever, and he had never felt more helpless. Although, he supposed that was partially his fault, despite his continuous chanting of, 'it's not my fault I'm easily distracted'. Nevertheless, the boy had perseverance, at the very least, for even after many hours of futility, he still pursued his goal of documenting what he decided he would refer to as 'emotions' for simplicity.

He concluded that his loss for words was only attributable to his decision to omit all breaks from his schedule and thus, subsequently reset himself by taking a walk through the drab corridors of the castle. The temperature never changed. It remained at a cold standard that was low enough to feel chilly, but not enough to warrant any alterations. His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he proceeded: a gentle noise that broke the eerie silence. Therefore, he was surprised when a large, gloved hand landed on his shoulder and, startled, he stumble forward very slightly. Despite the subtlety of the reflex, it did not go undetected by his company, evident from the short chuckle that sounded from behind.

Only slightly fazed, the blond Nobody turned and found himself greeted by a mischievous grin held by none other than the Freeshooter of the organization. The man ruffled his hair -to his extreme discontent- laughing more openly at the swift batting away of his hand that followed. Although second by rank in the organization, Xigbar truly was second to none in the art of provocation.

"So I hear you and poppet really hit it off." The man taunted, raising an eyebrow. Roxas wasn't sure what to make of this, but he felt he might have to maim a certain musician in the near future. Of course, it wasn't very fair to write off all other possibilities and credit the assumed leak to his brown-haired associate, but Roxas wasn't thinking much about justice and righteousness at that point. All he could see was blood on him hands; the red fluid drying in his palms as he cackled over the body. He needed a scapegoat, not a verdict. He licked his lips inadvertently in wicked anticipation, and it was now Xigbar's turn to flinch, unaware of the boy's internal thought process. _What kind of hormonal monster did I release in this kid..? _

Deciding that playing innocent would prove to be the most fruitful course of action from there, Roxas tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow of his own. He tried to put on the most believable, confused look that he could, but he wasn't exactly adept at fabricating facial expressions. Recovering, the crafty nihilist continued.

"C'mon Kiddo, don't be like that! Your secret's safe with Uncle Xigbar here." He pointed to himself and blinked.

…Or was it winked? _I wonder if he realizes that he's wearing an eye-patch… He does this far too often…_

After further assessment, Roxas figured that his façade was fooling none, and changed his approach to reaching a conclusion as quickly as possible. Nodding, he turned to walk away, but it seemed Xigbar wasn't letting him off easy.

"Whoa, easy boy, we've got a little talking to do." Roxas cursed inaudibly and halted reluctantly, however he refused to turn and face his superior. It was enough to satisfy his senior, in any case.

"How about you start? Talk to me about it…"

"What do you mean?"

"Y'know like... Describe the experience or something." Xigbar shrugged, and was evidently no longer trying to mask his intentions of making the conversation awkward, much to Roxas's ire.

_I wish I could you inexorable bastard…_

"I can't."

"Don't be like that, Kiddo. Just do it again then." Roxas brushed off the latter end of the comment and continued, unconsciously picking up speed.

"No really, I can't put it in words."

"Here, why don't you tell me how you felt?"

"We're Nobodies, we don't feel anything." A curly grin broke across the elder male's sharp features.

"That wasn't the question Kiddo, just think about it a little." The boy turned and shouted.

"I have been! For the last three hours!" Silence followed, and Roxas found his hands jumping up to cover his mouth. It was a little late for that now. Xigbar rode the momentum, seizing full advantage following their stalemate. He allowed the moment to set in a little longer, driving the words back into Roxas. Heartily, he chuckled and resumed his game. _Advantage, Xigbar._

The situation that followed was exactly what the second lived for: broken prey, vulnerable to his words and -as long as he played his cards right- perfect follow-ups.

"I didn't expect this from you, Kiddo. A little more interested than you initially let on, hey?" Roxas covered his rose-tinted cheeks with his hands in a pathetic attempt to hide his reactions. He knew it only fed the sadist more.

"N-no you misunderstand…"

"Do I? From what I can see our little thirteenth over here is head over heels. Your age finally catching up to you?"

"It's not like-"

"Face it Roxas, I think someone's in love, and it sure as hell isn't me." The Keyblade wielder's eyes glazed over, and his expression turned more neutral. His strength left him, and he felt open, exposed to the man in front of him, as if he had been read like a book again and again, front to back, back to front; once, twice, thrice. He was transparent, he was trapped, and it was just him and the grinning maniac before him, but right now Xigbar held all the aces. _Game._

"Love..?" A weak echo, his voice failed him. _Set._

"Kiddo, you and Poppet are going to have a little talk for me, very, very soon…" _Match…_

Each footstep reverberated in the hall off every item. The rhythmic tapping ringing in his ears as the Freeshooter walked up to him, a cold statue, and patted him on the head. Xigbar departed, leaving his presence, the beat, and his wily grin…

* * *

**Apologies for everything.**

**So this is getting extremely hard to write. This chapter was stuck on about 1700 words for about a week, and I couldn't do anything about it. Nothing worked, I didn't know what I wanted, etc. I read the past chapters again to try generate some momentum, but it only served to kill me more internally, as I noticed the pitiful lack of flow from the chapter I to II, and all the flaws which are staring back at me, begging me for digital euthanasia. After missing the second week marker, I decided I would just force something out of myself, which is why the level of writing decreases from where I was blocked. Even then I could only write about 200 words at a time, so I had to leave it short. In many ways, I feel a certain Nobody's anguish over writer's block.**

**I think I'll have to end this soon, because I can't keep it going like this. It'd be fine if I was still happy with it in the end, but no. I kept telling myself that I was wrong, and even if I didn't like it, other did, but it's really empty for me right now. I will not discontinue this, and I'll write at least a concluding chapter, even if it kills me...**

**On a brighter note, I will at the very least come back to this fandom/pairing (if you thought this was any good, I think I'll impress you greatly on return), albeit probably not this or next season. I will however, never make promises again regarding updates. This story has been a great learning experience. I feel I'm forgetting to say a lot of things I wanted to, but it's okay, this is already 1/11th of the chapter.**

**See you next chapter and thank you for your time.**


End file.
